The present invention relates generally to a communications system having pre-defined restricted user groups. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cellular telephone system wherein at least some group members within such a pre-defined group are restricted to making telephone calls to and receiving telephone calls from other group members only.
Many organizations have work forces spread out over a relatively wide geographic area. Such work forces and organizations may for example be: drivers for a hauling concern, an ambulance company, a courier company, or the like; work crew members for an electric, cable, or water utility or the like; salespersons for a sales company or the like; service technicians for a copier repair firm, computer repair firm, or the like; repair and maintenance technicians for a climate control service firm, a plumbing or electrical service firm, or the like; roving laborers for a contractor or the like; or security officers for a security firm, private security force, or the like, among others. In most if not all cases, the organizations would prefer to be in close communication with such work force workers.
Previously, such organizations could only maintain such close contact by building and operating their own private radio communications systems or by contracting with radio communications system service providers. As should be understood, such private systems are quite costly. With the advent of widely available cellular telephone service, however, many organizations have found it advantageous to provide at least some of their work force workers with cellular telephones ("cell phones"). Accordingly, workers, dispatchers, supervisors, and other appropriate personnel can conveniently and easily contact one another, as the case may be. Moreover, such organizations need not expend the costs associated with maintaining or contracting for private radio communications systems.
As should be evident, with the provided cell phone, each worker can make calls to and receive calls from work-related individuals for work-related purposes. However, each worker may also use the provided cell phone to contact nonwork-related individuals for non-work-related purposes. As should be understood, such non-work-related uses may prove to be quite costly and are at any rate considered undesirable. A need exists, then, for a cellular telephone system that prevents at least some workers from using provided cell phones for non-work-related uses.